1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color photographic light-sensitive material and, more particularly, it relates to preventing the fading of dye images obtained upon development-processing a color photographic light-sensitive material, and preventing discoloration (e.g., yellowing) of uncolored areas (hereinafter referred to as white background).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Color images obtained by photographically processing a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material comprise, in general, an azomethine dye or indoaniline dye image formed by the reaction between an oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine developing agent and a coupler.
The thus-obtained color photographic images typically are stored for long periods of time as records, or are displayed. However, known photographic images are not completely stable to light, humidity or heat. When exposed to light for a long period of time or stored under high temperature and humidity conditions, the dye images tend to fade or discolor and, in addition, the white background is colored, usually resulting in a deterioration of image quality.
This fading and discoloration of images are quite serious defects in a recording material. The following compounds have heretofore been used to remove these defects. For example, hydroquinone derivatives including 2,5-tert-butylhydroquinone, phenol derivatives such as 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, 4,4'-methylenebis(2,6-di-tert-butylphenol), 2,2'-methylenebis(4-ethyl-6-tert-butylphenol), 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol, etc., and tocopherols are representative of such compounds.
Furthermore, the compounds in which the hydroxy group of the hydroquinone derivatives, the phenol derivatives or the chroman derivatives such as tocopherols is substituted with an alkoxy group or an acyloxy have recently been described in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 17729/53 and West German Patent Application (OLS) No. 2,735,206.
These compounds are effective to some extent as an agent for preventing fading or discoloration of dye images. However, the effect is not completely satisfactory or, although some compounds may prevent fading, they deteriorate hue, generate fog, lower dispersion property or form crystals. Thus, no satisfactory color image stabilizers which exhibit completely excellent effects for photographic use are known.